Lime Kiln Lighthouse

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, Washington

Sunday, April 27, 2014

No. 271 Heritage Flight Museum Grand Opening

Heritage Flight Museum
15053 Crosswind Dr.
Burlington, Wa 98233
Website: http://www.heritageflight.org/

April 26th, 2014 - Skagit Regional Airport

The morning started off with overcast skies and rain but that was not going to stop the organizers of Historic Flight Museums from showing off their new field based operations at Skagit Regional Airport.
HFM had previously been located in Bellingham Airport but over the winter closure relocated to Burlington, WA.
The staff and volunteers of HFM welcomed nearly 1300 visitors during it's Grand Opening celebration for an afternoon of sights, sounds and smells of aviation history. In addition to having HFM's collection on display other aviation organizations brought in their aircraft for static and aerial display including North Cascades Vintage Aircraft Museum, Canadian Museum of Flight and Historic Flight Foundation.
Even before the doors officially opened at noon the parking along Crosswind Dr. was nearly at capasity with people having to park on both sides of the street.
For Heritage Flight Museum this was one of their most successful events ever and it was just opening day at their new location. Stay up to date with events and fly days in 2014 at Skagit Regional Airport by following their Website and facebook page.

Here is a recap of some of the sights and sounds of Grand Opening Day along Runway 22 / 04






T6-D Texan “Hog Wild Gunner”
T6-D Texan “Hog Wild Gunner”


T6-F Texan Heritage Flight Museum
T6-F Texan 
The North American SNJ  Heritage Flight Museum
North American SNJ
N9012Y, 1944 North American SNJ-5
Canadian Aviation Museum North American SNJ -5
The North American SNJ  Heritage Flight Museum

P-51 Mustang “Val-Halla” HFM & B-25D Mitchell HFF Fly By
HFF B-25 Mitchell "Grumpy" / P-51 Mustang HFM 
B_T_PHOTOS_April 26_ 2014_IMG_0001.DNG-2831
North Cascades Vintage Aircraft Museum
P-51 Mustang “Val-Halla” Heritage FLight Museum
P-51 Mustang "Val Halla" 

Friday, April 25, 2014

No. 270 Seattle Maritime Events May 2014

May 1st 12pm to 5 pm
First Thursday at Lake Union Park 

May 3rd
Opening Day of 2014 Boating season
Lake Union, Ship Canal, Lake Washington 

May 3rd
Opening of Cruise Season
Pier 91

May 3rd 10am to 8pm
Center for Wooden Boats Member Day 

May 7th 6pm to 9pm
Charting Practices of NOAA
Ivar's Salmon House 

May 8th 1:30pm to 3:30 pm
Fishermen's Terminal Walking Tour

May 8th 11am to 12pm
Tugboat Story Time
Lake Union Park

May 10th 11am to 5pm
Harbor Open House
Pier 66
Seattle Waterfront

May 11th 4pm to 5pm
Mother's Day Cruise on Lake Union
Virginia V, Lake Union

May 11th 11am to 5pm
Family Fun Day at Lake Union Park

May 16th 12pm to 7pm
NOAA Open House

May 16th 7pm to 10pm
Adventure: Two Years around the Pacific Ocean
Center for Wooden Boats

May 19th, 20, 21st 1pm
Behind the scenes tour of Lightship Boats
Historic Ships Wharf

May 22nd 11am to 12pm
Tugboat Story Time 11am to 12pm
Historic Ships Wharf




Tuesday, April 22, 2014

No. 269 Air Force One lands in Everett, WA

Paine Field Airport
Everett, Washington
April 22nd, 2014

One the 1 month after the Oso, Washington landslide President Obama arrived in Washington State to meet with state officials, local first responders and families affected by the landslide.
At 12:42pm Air Force One appeared over waters of Possession Sound on a 5 mile final and was cleared for landing on 16R at Paine Airport in Everett, WA. 6 minutes later the queen of the skies ,a late model 1990's Boeing 747-200, touched down in Snohomish County with sunbreaks.
President Obama met Washington State officials awaiting his arrival at the bottom of the air stairs and then boarded USMC VH-3 helicopters to be flown to KAWO Arlington. VH-3s were escorted by 3 HMX-1 MV-22B Osprey.


POTUS arrival at PAE 4/22/2014
onlookers arrive at Future of Flight in Everett, WA for POTUS arrival
POTUS Flag waver

USA Air Force One / Boeing VC-25A (747-2G4B) / 82-8000 at PAE
USA Air Force One / Boeing VC-25A (747-2G4B) / 82-29000 short final
USA Air Force One / Boeing VC-25A (747-2G4B) / 82-8000 at PAE
Air Force One flares on arrival at Paine Field next the Boeing Flight Line
SAM7311 C-32A VIP Transport
SAM Flight follows AF1. ALong for the Asian ride 
After touring the Oso Landslide from the air and ground and meeting with local President Obama returned to Paine Field aboard Marine One and at 17:15 (5:15pm PDT) Air Force One was wheel up headed for Japan.
Air Force One departing Everett, WA 4/22/2014
Wheel up for Japan Air Force One
Air Force One departing Everett, WA 4/22/2014

Air Force One departing Everett, WA 4/22/2014

C-32A VIP Transport departing
C-32A VIP Transport departing Paine Field behind AF1
  Watch the National Geographic Documentary Inside Air Force One

Monday, April 21, 2014

No. 268 Meadowdale Beach Park

Meadowdale Beach Park
6026 156th Sw
Edmonds, WA 98036
MAP IT 

Meadowdale Beach Park surrounds the lower section of the Lunds Gulch Creek north of Edmonds, WA. The 108 acre parks features trails that meander through old-growth forests and lead down to an access point to the salt water beach.



meadowdale
Picnic Shelter and play fields 

meadowdale3
BNSF Rail Road Tunnel 
Meadowdale Beach County Park
after heavy rains the train tunnel can become flooded with runoff 
meadowdale6

meadowdale5

meadowdale4

meadowdale7
Low Tide
meadowdale8
North bound BNSF train 
Meadowdale Beach County Park

Meadowdale Beach County Park
Abandoned barge 
Meadowdale Beach County Park

Meadowdale Beach County Park
Meadowdale Beach County Park
Boat Ramp 
Meadowdale Beach County Park
Sunset Bay 

Sunday, April 20, 2014

No. 267 Recap Of Doolittle Raid Afternoon

Historic Flight Foundation
Paine Field
Everett, WA
April 19, 2014

Saturday morning started off promising with a few sunbreaks around Snohomish County. But by 11am overcast clouds started rolling in from the south east and a light drizzle soon followed. Owner and pilot John Sessions begun his B-25D Mitchell pre-flight just after 11am but moved the pre-flight discussion out of the rain and inside the hangar.
A few of the volunteers and myself took shelter from the rain under the wings of the B-25 and waited for the V-22s and Vh-3s to startup and take off on their Presidential Transportation exercise over Snohomish County and Arlington Airport.
Although the rain made the afternoon a little uncomfortable there was still plenty of activity on the airport including an American Bald Eagle soaring overhead, take off of V22s, VH-3s, a Dreamifter, Boeing 737s and 777s.
Here is a recap in video and images.


HMX-1 MV-22B Executive Transport Taking Off
HMX-1 MV-22B takeoff  configuration
HMX-1 MV-22B Executive Transport Taking Off
HMX-1 MV-22B forward flight transition 
HMX-1 MV-22B Executive Transport Taking Off
HMX-1 MV-22B Take Off
HMX-1 MV-22B inbound for landing
HMX-1 MV-22B returning from Arlington Airport 
HMX-1 MV-22B landing configuration
HMX-1 MV-22B landing configuration
HMX-1 VH-3D Marine Corps Marine 1
HMX-1 VH-3D Marine Corps Marine 1
HMX-1 VH-3D Marine Corps Marine 1
HMX-1 VH-3D Marine Corps Marine 1
Air China B-2047
Air China B-2047 Boeing 777-300ER
Historic Flight Foundation  N88972 B-25D
Historic Flight Foundation  N88972 B-25D